Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
In video games, the Mentor role is often boiled down to its core es-
sence: telling the player what he needs to do, and how to do it. It can be
filled by a classic Mentor NPC, such as a squad leader barking orders in
your earpiece, or by the game's UI itself.
4. Threshold Guardian/Henchman
The Threshold Guardian—or in modern parlance, the Henchman—does
exactly what his classical name indicates: he blocks the progress of the
Hero. Often working under the direct or indirect supervision of the Villain,
Henchmen do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to providing sub-
conflicts for the Hero to overcome on the way to eventually confronting
the Villain and the main conflict he represents.
The Hero can't just immediately confront the Villain when the story
starts. He must be tested by lesser villains—i.e. Henchmen—and learn from
these experiences before he is ready for the final showdown with the main
antagonist.
It's important to note that the Hero and/or his allies don't always
defeat
Henchmen. Sometimes Henchmen are worked around by convincing
them to allow the Hero to pass, or to even change sides and become full-
fledged allies!
In
Star Wars
, the Henchmen include Imperial Stormtroopers, the slimy
dianoga lurking in the Death Star trash compactor, TIE Fighter pilots, and
Darth Vader. Yes, that's right … Darth Vader is not the Villain, he's the main
Henchman and enforcer of Grand Moff Tarkin, who commands the Imper-
ial forces, including Darth Vader.
In video games, Henchmen are usually embodied by the seemingly end-
less waves of nameless enemies a player confronts during gameplay, oc-
casionally punctuated by a named “boss” or sub-boss.
5. Trickster
Even the most intense of story experiences benefits from the occasional
moment of comic relief, and that's what the Trickster archetype brings to
the table. Whether snarky, ditzy, clumsy, or flamboyant, a character em-
bodying the Trickster archetype infuses comedy and lightheartedness
when the story needs it the most.
Like the Mentor, this role can be taken up by a number of different char-
acters during the adventure, but there is usually a single character who
displays it most often.
